ALABAMA RETAIL - Key Persons
Alison has served as the Alabama Retail Association's vice president since 2005. She joined Alabama Retail in 2001 as communications director after serving as director of public relations with the Alabama Bankers Association. She became Alabama Retail's director of governmental and public affairs in 2003, before being named vice president in 2005.
In addition to management responsibilities, Alison leads the association's governmental relations activities in the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. Congress.
Alison graduated cum laude from Troy University and completed her master's, summa cum laude, also from Troy University.
Alison is a certified association executive as designated by the American Society of Association Executives. She is the immediate past president for the Alabama Council of Association Executives (ACAE), which has more than 400 association and meeting professional members representing 140 associations operating in Alabama.
She also serves on the board of directors for Kid One Transport System Inc., which transports children and expectant mothers to necessary health care services. For 2016-2017, she has been selected to be a member of the 33rd Legacy Class of Leadership Montgomery.
In 2011 and 2014, Alison received the Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee's Chairman's Award for her efforts to win approval for tort reform measures advocated by ACJRC, including product liability protection for retailers.
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Agency Relations
Ashley joined Alabama Retail Comp as a marketing and agency relations representative on May 27, 2022. She promotes the workers' compensation program through ARC's network of independent agents. She is based in Auburn.
Ashley came to ARC with three years of experience in the workers' compensation field. She graduated in 2019 from Auburn University with a bachelor's degree in marketing with a concentration in sales.
While in college, Ashley belonged to the Auburn Marketing Association and worked with the Auburn Recreation and Wellness Center.
In her spare time, Ashley likes to read, run and hike. She and her husband, Max, live in Auburn.
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Agency Relations Director
Boyd joined Alabama Retail Comp as marketing and agency relations director in June 2006. His ARC duties include recruitment of new members for the Alabama Retail Association by promoting its workers' compensation program through its network of independent agents.
He came to ARC from Sunbelt General Agency where he had worked since 2005 marketing independent insurance agents. Prior to his employment with Sunbelt, Boyd was director of the Alabama Public Employees' Action League, or APEAL, for the Alabama Retired State Employees Association. He also worked in member recruitment with ARSEA.
A native of Selma, Edwards attended Auburn University, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, serving as its treasurer. The Montgomery resident and 1999 graduate of Trinity Presbyterian School is a member of First United Methodist Church.
Brett became the fund manager for Alabama Retail Comp in March of 2022. He previously served as business solutions director for ARC and member relations manager for the Alabama Retail Association. He first joined the staff in August of 2008.
As fund manager, Brett is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the self-insurance fund, including a staff that is charged with sales, claims and premium administration, underwriting and accounting.
A graduate of Auburn University, he has a degree in public administration and communication.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Trustee
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Agency Relations
- Marketing and Agency Relations Representative
Elizabeth Anne joined Alabama Retail Comp as a marketing and agency relations representative in February 2022, becoming the fifth generation of her family to enter the insurance industry. She promotes the workers' compensation program through ARC's network of independent agents. She is based in Birmingham where she represents ARC in the northern portion of the state.
She graduated magna cum laude in 2021 from the University of South Alabama with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a minor in composite sciences.
She is a member of the Junior League of Birmingham and volunteers with the Lakeshore Foundation, which champions optimal health for people with disabilities. In college, Elizabeth Anne was a member of the Chi Omega sorority and served as a peer mentor for college students with mental disabilities through PASSAGE USA. She lives in Vestavia Hills.
Gillian joined the Alabama Retail Association in 2000 as receptionist. She was promoted to member services representative in 2001 and joined Alabama Retail Comp in April of 2005 as an Underwriting Assistant.
Gillian graduated from Troy University-Montgomery in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. In 2006, she received the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Secretary
- Secretary
Jennifer joined the Alabama Retail Association in October 2015, providing administrative and office support as well as assisting in meeting and event planning. Previously, she worked as corporate secretary for 10 years at Blount Parrish, a Montgomery investment banking firm.
Jennifer has a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Alabama. She and her husband, Todd, attend First Baptist Church and have two sons, Banks and Blevins.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Chairman / Cahaba Crest Inc.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Trustee
Job Titles:
- in 1995 As a Secretary
- Underwriting Manager
Melissa joined the Alabama Retail Association in 1995 as a secretary. In 1997, she became a customer service representative for Alabama Retail Comp and also handled accounts receivable and payroll audits.
In 1998, Melissa became the Underwriting Manager for Alabama Retail Comp and continues to serve in that capacity. Her duties include reviewing accounts submitted by ARC's network of independent insurance agencies to determine eligibility for the workers' compensation program and underwriting existing accounts for continued eligibility. Melissa issues quotes and binders for workers' compensation coverage and oversees the processing of new accounts.
Melissa earned the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation in 2005.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chairman / the Pants Store
Job Titles:
- Director of Public Relations
Nancy communicates the association's message and mission to the public as well as its members. She joined the Alabama Retail Association in late 2005.
She administers Alabama Retail's website, alabamaretail.org; its magazine, Alabama Retailer; its social media platforms and its award programs, which include the Alabama Retailer of the Year and Alabama Centennial Retailer. She also edits the association's weekly legislative report, the Alabama Retail Report.
Nancy came to Alabama Retail from the Business Council of Alabama where she had worked since 1997 as manager or director of publications. Before entering the field of public relations, Nancy worked as a journalist or newspaper editor for 17 years, including serving as metro editor of the Montgomery Advertiser.
Nancy graduated with honors from Auburn University in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in public relations/journalism.
The Southern Public Relations Federation awarded her senior practitioner status in October 2011. She is a member of the Public Relations Council of Montgomery, which named her as its 2002-2003 Practitioner of the Year. She also is a member of the Auburn University Department of Communications and Journalism's Public Relations Advisory Board and on the board of directors for the Alabama YMCA Youth Legislature.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- President
- CAE
- President of the Business Associations' Tax Coalition
- President, Alabama Retail Association Fund Administrator, Alabama Retail Comp
Rick joined the Alabama Retail Association in 1989 with a background that included sales and banking. He served 16 years as Alabama Retail's vice president. In 2005, the board of directors chose Rick to serve as president of the association.
Under his leadership, membership in Alabama Retail has grown exponentially from some 200 members to a membership today of 4,300. Rick is also fund administrator of Alabama Retail Comp, a self-insured trust that provides workers' compensation coverage to Alabama's retailers. In this capacity, Rick is a member of the Alabama Self-Insurers Association board of directors and is chairman of COMP PAC, the official political action committee of the Alabama Self-Insurers Association.
A graduate of the University of Alabama, Rick is a certified association executive as designated by the American Society of Association Executives. In addition, he is a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management at the University of Delaware and of Leadership Montgomery.
Rick serves as president of the Business Associations' Tax Coalition, a group of business and trade associations representing every major business group in Alabama. He also serves as vice chairman of the Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee, a coalition of businesses and pro-business organizations committed to restoring legal fairness in Alabama. He is a past president of the Alabama Council of Association Executives.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Trustee / Bromberg & Co. Inc.
Job Titles:
- Executive Committee Designee
Toni Hill joined Alabama Retail Association in 1992 as the association bookkeeper. One year later, she was promoted to premium administrator for Alabama Retail Comp. Her duties include premium invoicing, payroll revisions, annual audits, management of premium collections and policy revisions. Toni also handles monthly broker commissions.